A look through the Archive
It was with deep sadness that we recorded the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022.
Glasgow Caledonian University’s special connection to Her Majesty stretches back to 1944 when the young Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth became Patroness of one of the University’s founding institutions, the Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science.
It was the first time she had accepted such an office in Scotland and it was the first time in its 70-year history that the College had received such an honour from a member of the reigning Royal Family.
In September 1945, there was much excitement when the Princess accepted an invitation to present certificates at the College’s Diploma Day, the first held since the onset of World War II.
The Princess congratulated our students and remarked on the progress the College had made in her Diploma Day speech.
Her Royal Highness said: “First of all, I wish to say how pleased I am to be here today on this, my first visit to your College, to present diplomas and certificates. I should like to congratulate all successful students most heartily.
“It is wonderful to see how this College has grown since its inception 70 years ago. Your small foundation, with its few hundred students, has become a splendid institution fitted with the most modern equipment and from which several thousand students have graduated."
Over the years that followed, many messages of good wishes were sent from the College to the Princess. On her marriage to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in November 1947, the students made a gift of an antique Cockpen chair. In return, Buckingham Palace sent wedding cake to the College, which was distributed to students.
On her accession to the throne in 1952, the Princess’ patronage of the College automatically ceased. However, as Queen Elizabeth II, she renewed it, an honour which the College Governors said indicated her "continued interest in and appreciation of the work of the College".
Almost 23 years after her first visit, the Queen returned to the College in July 1968 to formally open Gibson Hall, the new student residence. Accompanied by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, she inspected the premises and talked with staff and students attending a summer course before having tea with the College Principal and Governors.
it was during its centenary year in 1975 that the College received its royal title. With such a close royal association throughout its history, ‘The Queen’s College, Glasgow’, was the obvious choice for the new name and an application was made to Willie Ross, Secretary of State for Scotland. In March of that year, the request was approved and the Queen agreed for her title to be used.
At the final awards ceremony of the Queen’s College in October 1992, a special message of loyal greetings to the Queen was distributed, signalling the close affinity the College continued to feel with the monarch.